Jump to

Abstract

Background. Although bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) may remain silent during life, it can announce dramatically with aortic dissection and sudden death. The aim of the study was to determine the aortic diameters and histopathologic background in young people with BAV and aortic dissection.

Conclusions. Aortic root diameters are lower in dissected BAV than Marfan patients. However, structural abnormalities of the tunica media in terms of elastic fragmentation and fibrosis are similar. Imaging techniques able to assess not only a progressive increase of aortic diameters, but also abnormal aortic elasticity and stiffness are warranted to indentify patients at risk of aortic dissection.